Loaded-Object Sensor for Induction Heating Compatibility Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing induction heating devices require high power levels to determine if a pot is compatible for induction heating, which is inefficient and not accurate enough, as they only work with specific metal types, limiting their usability.
Innovation Solution
An induction heating device equipped with a loaded-object sensor that uses a sensing coil and control unit to apply a low-power alternating current to determine the inductive properties of a pot by measuring changes in inductance and current phase, allowing for quick and accurate compatibility assessment without heating the device itself.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high power levels are supplied to determine pot compatibility, then the accuracy of detecting eddy current is improved, but the power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the detection function into two separate coils: a sensing coil for low-power compatibility detection and a working coil for actual heating. This segmentation allows the system to perform accurate eddy current detection without requiring high power levels, as the sensing coil operates independently at low power while the working coil remains dormant during detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing coil acts as an intermediary between the control system and the pot, enabling indirect detection of eddy current through electromagnetic coupling. This intermediary approach allows accurate measurement of pot compatibility without directly applying high power to the pot, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining detection accuracy.
2Productivity
If high power levels are supplied to determine pot compatibility, then the detection speed is improved, but the power consumption and energy waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the detection function into a dedicated sensing coil that operates at low power, the system achieves rapid compatibility detection without the energy waste associated with high-power operation. The sensing coil can quickly detect eddy current presence and characteristics using minimal power, enabling fast decision-making about pot compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs periodic detection cycles using the sensing coil at low power levels, allowing multiple quick assessments of pot compatibility without sustained high power consumption. This periodic low-power detection approach maintains detection speed while minimizing energy waste compared to continuous or single high-power detection attempts.
3Power
If only ferric metals are used for pots, then the induction heating efficiency is improved, but the versatility of the device is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing coil provides real-time feedback about the electromagnetic properties of the pot material, allowing the control system to identify whether the pot is made of ferric metal or other materials. This feedback mechanism enables the device to detect and communicate compatibility status, expanding user awareness and potential adaptability to different pot types while maintaining efficient operation with compatible materials.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the induction heating device to accurately and efficiently determine if a pot is compatible for induction heating using significantly less power than conventional methods, allowing for faster and more precise compatibility checks.
Implementation Method 1
a sensing coil... to apply a low-power alternating current to determine the inductive properties of a pot by measuring changes in inductance
Implementation Method 2
applying a high-frequency voltage (e.g., an alternating current) of a predetermined magnitude to the working coil. Accordingly, an inductive magnetic field is generated around the working coil. When a pot containing certain metals is positioned on or near the working coil to receive the flux of the generated inductive magnetic field, an eddy current is generated inside a portion of the pot.
Implementation Method 3
magnetic induction from the magnetic field may cause an eddy current to be generated in an adjacent pot made of a certain metals so that the pot itself is heated due to electrical resistance from the eddy current
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a loaded-object sensor and an induction heating device including the loaded-object sensor. The loaded-object sensor has a cylindrical hollow body with a sensing coil wound on its outer surface. Further, a receiving space formed inside the body of the loaded-object sensor accommodates a temperature sensor. The loaded-object sensor is concentrically provided in a central region of the working coil. The sensor may measure the temperature of the loaded object while discriminating a type of the loaded object placed on a corresponding position to the working coil.